The Ontario Disability Support Program provides income supports and other benefits that are intended to ensure recipients can live as independently as possible. The program includes supports for those who are working or operating their…
ISAC co-counselled with Mississauga Community Legal Services on a judicial review at Federal Court that concerns the jurisdiction of the Social Security Tribunal – Appeal Division when hearing appeals. The case concerned a woman who…
Many persons with disabilities face higher costs of living, including the cost of travel to medical treatment. Accessing medical treatment is vital to ensure the health and wellness of Ontario Disability Support Program recipients. In…
Sometimes people with mental health-related disabilities who apply to the Ontario Disability Support Program are turned down because the decision-makers think that the medical treatment they are getting isn’t serious enough. For example, ODSP decision-makers…
Health benefits are a critical part of the Ontario Disability Support Program. Appropriate access to and funding for these benefits is crucial to make sure that ODSP recipients get the health-related items they need, like…
People who pay in to the Employment Insurance (“EI”) system are eligible for EI Regular Benefits when they lose their job. Too often, people who lose their job due to issues around addiction are denied…
The Canada Pension Plan is a social insurance program that is meant to help those who find themselves disabled and unable to work. To qualify for a CPP disability pension, a person must be “suffering…
Prior to April 2012, a body called the Review Tribunal had the responsibility to hear appeals of decisions about Canada Pension Plan (CPP) issues. That Tribunal was replaced with the Social Security Tribunal (SST) in…
The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) provides monthly supports to low-income Ontarians who meet the law’s definition of “a person with a disability.” In Ontario, “disability” is defined broadly, and includes people with both permanent…
In November 2014, Ontario’s new social assistance computer program went live. The computer program caused wide-spread problems, including recipients receiving the wrong benefit amounts, getting faulty suspension letters and not receiving health-related benefits. The union…
In 2013, Canada changed sentencing laws to require anyone convicted of an offence (or discharged) to pay a mandatory “victim surcharge” regardless of whether or not they can afford to pay the fine. Every person…
Kelly Lesiuk was denied Employment Insurance (EI) benefits because, as a mother working part-time, she was unable to accumulate the number of work hours necessary to qualify. Ms. Lesiuk launched a Charter challenge to the…